


Dreams Go By

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Angst, F/M, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-04-28
Updated: 2001-04-28
Packaged: 2019-05-15 15:59:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14793548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Pictures hold a thousand words...





	Dreams Go By

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

Title: "Dreams Go By"

Author: Tara Patterson

Rating: PG

Category or Pairing: Jed/Abbey

Spoilers: 17 People

Archive (if applicable): Just let me know where.

Disclaimer: Jed and Abbey Bartlet are the creation of that genius Aaron Sorkin. I'm just taking them out to play in my imagination for a bit. "Dreams Go By" is by Harry Chapin

Author's Notes: Blame this one on not enough work to do and coming home early.

 

"There you stand in your dungarees  
Looking all grown up and so very pleased  
When you write your poems they have so much to say  
When you speak your dreams it takes my breath away

You know I want to be a ball player  
A regular slugging fool  
But both our dreams must wait awhile  
Until we finish school

And so you and I  
We'll watch our years go by  
We'll watch our sweet dreams fly  
Far away, but maybe someday

I don't know when  
But we will dream again  
And we'll be happy then  
Till our time just drifts away."

 

Jed Bartlet paused as he passed by the piano in the living room. Displayed on the closed cover were a myriad of family photographs. He picked up one of his favorite photos and stared at the young couple in the picture. Jed had taken the picture on the day he'd met Abbey. The moment he saw her, he knew that he could never become a priest, as his mother had hoped. 

 

 

"There you stand in your wedding dress  
You're so beautiful that I must confess  
I'm so proud you have chosen me  
When a doctor is what you want to be

You know I want to be a painter, girl  
A real artistic snob  
But I guess we'll have our children first  
You'll make a home, I'll get a job."

Placing that photo down, he picked another one up. This one had been taken at their wedding reception. They were so very young in that photo and though they could take on the world. And three days after their wedding, Abbey got her acceptance letter to medical school.

 

"Listen to the seasons passing  
Listen to the wind blow  
Listen to the children laughing  
Where do broken dreams go?"

 

They didn't have any easy time of it when they first started out. Abbey was in medical school followed by her residency. Then Jed ran for the House of Representatives and won! So it was off to DC for four years. Next came the governorship and finally the Presidency. And despite all this change, they still managed to raise three beautiful daughters and maintain a happy home for them. It wasn't easy but because of Abbey's patience and determination they'd managed.

 

"There you stand in your tailored suit  
So many years gone by, but you're still so cute  
We take the car to go and meet the bus  
When our grandchildren come to visit us

You say you should have been a ballerina, babe  
There are songs I should have sung  
But I guess our dreams have come and gone  
You gotta dream when you are young."

 

As he placed their wedding picture back on the piano, he noticed another photograph. This one was new and was of the two of them on Inauguration Day. His right hand is raised while his left hand is on the bible. Abbey is looking at him with love in her eyes. She had been so very proud of him that day, but then she would have been proud of him if he'd been elected dogcatcher. 

 

And now, she was angry with him. Not just because of the speech but because he was considering running for a second term. She was concerned for his health and well-being and rightly so. She wanted an opportunity to spend time with the man she loved while he still was the man she fell in love with. Both of them dreaded what might happen because of this damn disease. He needed to talk to her, to convince her that running for another term was important. Not only that but to tell Abbey just how much he truly loved her and also to listen to what she had to say.

 

"And so you and I  
We'll watch our years go by  
We'll watch our sweet dreams fly  
Far away, but maybe someday

I don't know when  
But we will dream again  
And we'll be happy then  
Till our time just drifts away."

 

Jed returned the photo to the piano and walked over to telephone. Taking a deep breath, he picked up the phone and dialed the number for the Manchester house. After three rings, she answered.

 

"Abbey, I love you. Please come home so we can talk..."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
